


Happy Father's Night

by Violet_Dawn_001



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daddy Lurien, Detective Lurien, Father's Day, Fortis equals Ghost, Other, Sign Language, The Knight is a boy in this fic, Watcher Dad AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24845368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Dawn_001/pseuds/Violet_Dawn_001
Summary: All is quiet in the Watcher's Spire, though that does not mean everyone is sleeping.A certain little vessel is going to make sure his Daddy gets some sleep.And a weary Watcher needs to be sure a cute baby calms down for bedtime.But um...Is no one going to mention the bad guy creeping in through the back door?Story includes lots of cuteness, fluff, sign language, awesome Dad power, and some worldbuilding.
Relationships: The Knight & Lurien the Watcher (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54





	1. Bedtime Stories!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _This chapter is dedicated to all Fathers, especially those in difficult situations._  
>  You awesome guys have no idea how much you change the world just by saying "yes" to fatherhood.
> 
> NOTE: None of Hollow Knight characters or locations are mine. I just get to have fun with them

No sound can be heard inside the Watcher’s Spire. Only raindrops on the window plane make sound. The rain will not stop falling tonight. It has not stopped falling for a few years now. The smart grown-ups say the water falling through the cavern ceiling will only get worse in time. 

Neither sun nor moon shines through the beautiful windows. Power, not light, comes through the soil to the underground kingdom. Light rather comes from hanging bright-fly lamps or the lit candles Daddy likes. The dark isn’t so scary. Just the dark dark where you can’t see where you’re going is. Bumping into walls is so annoying when one is trying to be sneaky. Do you know how many paintings you can run into? Or vases?

No adults lurk in the Spire’s halls after midnight. Everyone has gone off to home and bed: nobles, guild members, knights, and servants. Even the guards taking the graveyard shift are outside, not in, the halls by the doors. They know not to disturb anyone sleeping in Daddy’s Spire. The grown-ups don’t get enough rest during the busy day. 

One grown-up isn’t resting. He should. He’s the busiest bug here! No one works harder than Daddy! Not even Butler works harder than him. One little peek reveals his bed is still perfectly made, the maids’ careful labor preserved. He isn’t in the library sitting before the fireplace. Long shadows would mark his contemplating form, eager to solve a new puzzle. He isn’t even painting! His favorite game to play! White sheets hide his unfinished work and all his paints are closed shut. That leaves only one place where he could be. 

Up the empty halls marches the little child to find Daddy. The rich carpet hides the shuffling of feet, but if one listened really hard, you could hear it. However, the little one is so good at being quiet, the only noise to be heard is something being dragged. However, as soon as the sound is noticed, it disappears. The child doesn’t want to get in trouble for ruining the carpet, again.

Close to top of Spire-Home, Daddy claims his offices. One is his Watchtower with his amazing telescope. He protects the whole city by looking through the telescope. Once, he even saved the king’s life by peering through his telescope! However, it doesn’t seem Daddy is in this office. If he was working on a case, Butler would still be up helping him. No, he must be in the other office. Oh, how hated this door is, the one leading to that office. It has “torture” written all over it. At least, that is what the mute child would say if asked. 

Standing before the door, the little child places the training nail called “Nailie” under the arm. Without knocking, the child pushes the door open just enough to slip through. Daddy wouldn’t mind too much for the bad manners. After all, bad guys break in through the windows and vents, not doors. That is what the Watcher Knights complain about. 

Surrounded by candles and paper, Daddy sits at his desk. His upper body is bent over writing and checking and double checking. Just as suspected. Daddy is trapped by all the dreaded paperwork! 

Walking past all the candles on their curvy sticks and encraved benches, the child stands right next to the desk. All the paper stacks are high. One is even bigger than the child is tall! And they make Daddy read and sign all of this? Not on my watch! The child declares for another night. 

Pulling on Daddy’s blue robes, the child tries to get the adult’s attention. However, the Watcher just mutters on about some noble and merchant squabbling over some silly argument that even a child could tell who is right and wrong. Not to mention how to solve the problem correctly. Why are grown-ups so silly? They should be smarter, right? Why does Daddy have to be the only one who can solve their problems? 

The child tugs again on Daddy’s robes, harder this time. Daddy turns his steady eye towards his child, though his head is dipping. “What are you doing here my child?” Daddy asks.

The child reaches into a pocket and pulls out a big book. A nice thick book with tons of good stories. The child takes Nailie and points her tip at the title. _**“Bedtime Story.”**_

“Did no one read you your bedtime stories?” Daddy says as he puts his hand to his forehead. Unfortunately, it is the same hand with the pointy quill. “Ow!” Daddy quickly places the quill back on the desk. “All right. I am the one who reads you bedtime stories.” Daddy mourns as he rubs his head. 

Daddy wearily sighs and picks up his child. Sitting on Daddy’s lap, the child can see all the papers. They have no colors and lots of big, strange words. Boring.  
“I am sorry I got distracted again.” Daddy says while thumping himself and signing sorry. “I even got ready for bed too, see?” Daddy tugs on his robe, showing how he meant to come. “I swear, if those nobles can’t drown me in rain, they will try to do so in paperwork!” Daddy mutters offhandedly, drained. He doesn’t think his child notices, but the young child is mute, not blind. The child can tell those bad guys try to hurt Daddy with words and rules. The child likes the bad guys with swords and claws better. Then Daddy’s Knights can stop them. 

“Look here Fortis.” Daddy picks up a paper and brings to the child’s eye level. The single interesting paper on the whole desk is a map of the kingdom. It has so many different places. The child cannot wait to explore it all someday. But tonight, the child will stay here with Daddy. “What is this word?” Daddy says while pointing at a name. 

_**“City.”**_ The child signs. While Daddy smiles, the child searches the map. It is easy to find Daddy’s Spire. _**“Home!”**_ The child proudly signs while pointing at the Watcher’s Spire. 

Daddy laughs, though one can see he is proud too. “Yes. That is our home.” Daddy points back to the same line of words. The child recognizes the words “the” and “of”, but doesn’t know the last word or why they are placed together. “You need to know this name, my child. This is the name of where our home is. I’ll say it, then we sign it together.” Daddy speaks in his knightly voice as he brushes his finger underneath the words. “The City of Tears.” 

Gently pressing on his child’s hands, he signs the name and says it again with both words and signs. Releasing his hold, Daddy looks in Fortis’s eyes. “Let’s try together now.” With a little fumbling, they practice together over and over again. “You need to remember this name when someone asks you where you live, Fortis. It is the City’s new name. Though it has been called that unofficially ever since they dug through the cavern’s ceiling too much. They just are getting all the official paperwork together now to organize the sign changes, a new city emblem, the official announcement…” 

To be honest, the child had stopped listening. Instead, the child is thinking about the new name. This word “tears” has been encountered before in real life.  
_**“Daddy! Daddy!”**_ The child tugs on his bedtime robes. Once Daddy looks down, the child motions. _**“Tear!”**_ The child mimics a real tear, pulling a finger from the eye down to the check. _**“The City of Tear!”**_ The child excitedly signs, adding the made-up one at the end. 

“Yes!” Daddy chuckles, not caring Fortis did not pay too much attention. He knows his child listened to the important part. “Though you forgot one little thing…” Daddy signs the name as words then copies his child’s motion for the last part. “The City of Tears.” He says as he makes two tears fall down his face.  
Before they could practice again, the grandfather clock in the office dings and dongs. The bell rings once, for once is all that is needed. The time was 1 o’clock in the morning. 

Daddy looks from the clock to the little one and back again. “My Child.” He begins with his arms crossed. “It is very much past your bedtime.” Pouting, the child glares back. It is past Daddy’s bedtime too. However, it would do no good to tell Daddy that. 

_**“Bed!”**_ The child points to the story book with Nailie. With equal determination, the child thrusts Nailie at the clock. _**“Time!”**_ Daddy had to get to bed now! 

“Yes, yes my child.” Daddy picks up Fortis as he rises from his desk. “I will read you a bedtime story.” He promises. 

Daddy carries his baby through the halls and down the lift. He only lets his child down when they reach Fortis’ bedroom. Within is a big bed for a little sleeper. The covers are cozy and the big pillows are fluffy. The bed is perfect for pillow wars. Though it is even better for a secret use, one Daddy can never guess.  
“Now, let’s get you underneath your covers…” Daddy begins. 

**_“Wait!”_** The child exclaims by arm waving. This interruption, however, is not according to the child’s plan. Worry takes over the child’s frame as Fortis looks around. 

“Where is Grubbie?” Daddy asks, correctly guessing the problem. The child has two special friends: a beloved training nail and a cute, green caterpillar stuffie. As the child starts franticly looking for Grubbie the green caterpillar, Daddy moves to help.

 _ **“No, no, no, no!”**_ The child wiggles a finger in Daddy’s face. With one hand on hip, the other at the chest, the child says, **_“I do by myself!”_** Too many people make Daddy solve all their problems. Not tonight! Not this night!

Daddy reluctantly pulls a rocking chair to the bed. As he sits down, the child jumps into the covers, leaving no suspicious-looking lump unturned. Any one of them could be Mt. Grubbin. Watching this whole episode from the chair, Daddy raises his voice. “Are you certain you don’t need my help?” 

**_“Un huh!”_** His child quickly responds to the question before returning back to the search. 

Daddy peaks down under the bed and looks back at his baby. “Very well.” He replies as he leans into the rocking chair. 

The child races all over the bed to find the precious Grubbie. The green caterpillar is not hiding underneath the covers or the pillows… Is Grubbie with the other toys? Grubbie was not placed in the toys chests, but Grubbie did visit the toys on the shelves...

The child climbs to peek at the shelfs by the bed. Standing on these shelves are all sorts of toys. Most are action-figures of people and animals. There are action-figures of the Five Great Knights, some of the Knights who work for Daddy, and the Mantis Lords; just to name a few. But the very favorites are Daddy with his umbrella and the child with Nailie. Daddy painted all the action-figures so they look just right. 

**_“Did any of you see Grubbie?”_** the child asks the toys. The toys can always hear the child. They hear differently from other people. At that moment, one of the Four Mantis Lords falls over. **_“Huh!”_** the child gasps. **_“Mantis Lords!”_** Grabbing Nailie, the child thrusts the training sword at the four toys. **_“Did YOU kidnap Grubbie?”_**

Daddy quickly moves before a grave incident occurs. It would not do to have his child stirred up at bedtime. Unseen by the child, Daddy picks up the green stuffie sticking out from underneath the bed. Then he places the caterpillar under a pillow with the rear end poking out. Holding the head, Daddy plays the part of trapped grub. With his hand hidden by the pillow, Daddy wiggles Grubbie and makes meep meep noises, which suspiciously sound like “You missed me!” 

The child’s ears instantly catch Grubbie’s voice. **_“Grubbie! There you are!”_** Racing over, the child pulls the stuffie into a grand hug. So relieved the child is, Daddy can relax back into the rocking chair without being noticed. 

“Now that you are calmed down, let’s get you underneath your covers.” Daddy says as he reaches for the blankets. 

_**“Wait!”**_ The child signs by holding a palm to Daddy’s face. Fortis fluffs a pillow and scoots over. **_“Sit with me!”_** The child communicates this wish by slapping the space to the side. 

“Must I?” Daddy asks. He sounds so very tired. Good. 

**_“Yes! Yes!”_** The child nods. **_“Please?????”_** Fortis signs, even having Grubbie and Nailie join in. The child doesn’t know that Daddy would have done it anyway. His child is too cute and he is too tired. 

“All right, I’m coming.” Daddy tells Fortis. He climbs over, careful not to squash his child in any manner. As Daddy pulls up the covers, the child snuggles close to his side with Grubbie and Nailie. After he opens up the story book, Daddy turns and rubs his child’s arm. “Shall we begin, my child?” With a nod from Fortis, Daddy opens up the book right where they left off last night. “Ah good, a new story. This, my child, is the tale of Hungry, Hungry Knight. Once upon a time…” 

The Bedtime Story book is the best book ever. It has pretty pictures, just like the ones Daddy paints! Yet it also has lots of words on pages. Daddy says this book lets children use and enjoy their imagination, but not get too frustrated. Whatever that means. The book has wonderful pictures and really good stories. Stories, when told very late at night, make Daddy fall asleep!

Daddy is so sleepy tonight, he falls asleep before the story is even over. That is okay. They can finish the story tomorrow. 

While Daddy slumps upon the pillow, the child takes the book out of his hands. After replacing the bookmark ribbon, the child gently places the book away from them both. 

Clutching Grubbie and Nailie, the child cuddles on Daddy’s chest. Staying still as Daddy wraps his arms around them in his sleep, Fortis listens to the best sound in the whole world. Beating louder than the falling raindrops, Daddy’s heart sings. _“I love you my child. I always will. I promise I will always protect and provide for you. I will never abandon you. I will always love you”_ Surrounded by safety and love, the child at long last falls asleep in Daddy’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fortis is a Latin word for "brave, strong."  
> As it is a 3rd Del adj., the masculine and feminine forms look the same.  
> Which is why I chose it for a certain little vessel who took on the Pantheon of Hallownest. 
> 
> However, Fortis is a boy in this because the whole fandom has adopted Ghost as a Little Brother. Me included.


	2. Lurien's Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter is dedicated to St. Joseph, Patron of Fathers, Workers, and the Terror of Demons._
> 
> _It is a well known fact that Demons hate babies. To be honest, they hate life in general. So they try their hardest to destroy all life, especially those who are too helpless to defend themselves. Thanks Dads, for not letting the devil win. We, your sons and daughters, really appreciate it._

The hallway clock rings, startling Lurien awake. He listens to the chimes, breathing deeply to calm himself. The count for the hour is three, Lurien notes. The devils’ hour. 

Speaking of him, the dark creature has somehow entered the room. The being hides in and with the shadows. His black, liquidly form creeps in closer and closer. His unnaturally bright eyes hungrily hone onto the sleeping child. His Child. His precious Fortis. 

Lurien instantly pulls the blankets protectively over his child. With his single eye locked upon the demon, Lurien reaches one hand for a weapon. Thankfully, his child has never found his extra umbrella hiding under his bed. Lurien brings the umbrella to his side while his other hand clutches Fortis. When the dark creature attacks, Lurien would be ready. 

However, the devil’s best weapons are not claws or nails. They are words. “This is how the master of the house greets me? A guest? Instead he aims a sharp-pointed stick at me. Oh, how ungentlemanly that is.” The creature laughs at the Watcher. 

Lurien grits his teeth. He would not fall for the short hanging fruit. “It is also very ungentlemanly to come uninvited to another’s house in the middle of the night and sneak into a child’s bedroom.” He parries back at the personal thrust. 

“Furthermore, guests come through the front door to be greeted by the porter. Then they are led to the sitting room to meet the master of the house. You, stranger, have come through the back door; as seen by your dripping coat. You are a trespasser, entering uninvited and through a way locked to you. You slipped past the guards and servants, asking none of them for assistance. No, not for help, for you know what purpose you are here for and how you will accomplish it. One that requires you to come at the hour of darkness. One that brings you into the heart of my home, where I keep the most precious of my treasures. You are no guest. You are an invader, a robber, and a liar. As master of the house, it is my duty to keep people like you out.” Lurien retorts at the being. 

“Assumptions, assumptions!” The creature of darkness throws his hands in the air. “Is not one of the first things they teach knights to-be is to not assume? Yet here you are, making assumptions about me.” The stranger bends his head in closer to the bed. “For all you know, I could be a poor soul needing help. What helper are you? To throw me out for a baseless assumption?” 

For any weaker man, this would have made them back down and refuse to act. To lock them in fear so they are prevented from performing their duty. But Lurien was not one of those men. No. He had seen Users and Abusers, knows how they rise and keep power. He has watched sorrow and evil takeover when good men refused to defend the weak. He lives among those who let vice become virtue and true virtue to equal mockery. He KNOWS the warnings he has seen are true. He will not let this servant of darkness kidnap his child nor harm his people. 

“If you truly needed help, you would have not come at the hour of darkness. The hour of robbers and murders. If you truly needed help, you would have arrived at a different time and in a different way. There are roads already set in place, people along them, which can lead you to me. All which allow me to help you in the ways you most need it. Ways that do not threaten you or my child!” Lurien calls as he runs attack and defense plans through his head.  


“No, you do not seek help. For the time of seeking aid is long over. That time belongs to the day and to the dusk, where light shines upon the way. Now you must wait for the dawn to rise if you desire aid. However, you do not want help. You desire to rob the heart and the mind. So you chose the time where light cannot reveal your wickedness. When none can learn of your shame.” Such talk has gotten Lurien in trouble before, but let truth be said. Especially on an enemy who thinks they are the only correct person in every situation. 

However, the Enemy does not care about Truth. The only things he cares about are death and destruction. “Your child?” The creature fixes his eyes upon Little Fortis. “That little thing looks nothing like you. Wait, it is nothing like you. Why are you wasting so much time and effort on a child that is not even yours?” He taunts the Watcher with the question why.

“Enough!” Lurien cries, though not taking the bait as the creature desired. “It matters not if this child is mine by blood or adoption. What does matter is this child is my responsibility to provide and protect. A precious gift to be nurtured and adored.” 

“Precious Gift? How can a helpless, pathetic child be precious?!?!!!” The demon screams.

“That something you would not understand, as you cannot see the child as the priceless treasure he is.” Lurien states. 

The devil changes his stare to Lurien. Cold ice shivers its way into Lurien’s body, but he refuses to back down. All the flaming anger and chilly hate in the world will not budge him. 

“What would you do when you can’t protect or provide for, as you say, your precious child?” The creature suggests. “When you run out money, your reputation is in tatters, your house is taken from you, even your body gives out on you. What would you do then? When all your strength is snatched from you?” 

Lurien closes his eye, taking it off the creature. But never once did he remove his hands off his child or umbrella. “Then I will still care for him. Even if everything is taken away from me, I can still hold onto my morals and will. Only I can take those away from myself. In my spirit, I am still strong.” Lurien opens his one eye. “Not even you, Relentless Enemy, can take away from me.”

The dark creature finally gives up, only for this night. For there are two things on earth that terrify demons. Pure Mothers and Protecting Fathers.  


Lurien lets the creature slip away. He knows that he will not be able to stop it. As the time chines 4 o’clock, Lurien relaxes the arm holding his child and wraps the other around Fortis. No nightmares will hunt them tonight. Only dreamless sleep…

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
When they woke up later at 9 o’clock, both Father and Child are pleasantly surprised to find a warm breakfast waiting for them. Though it was not till Butler reminded them that Lurien remembered that the date was Father’s Day. Lurien gazed at his child and his child stared back. Neither needed to sign or speak the words “I love you.” They both already knew this truth with all their hearts.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~

\-----------------  
At the White Palace, there laid a bug still awake. The devil did not need to come and collect him, for the bug was already in his clutches. The restless bug struggled to save his kingdom, yet he could never discover a solution. For he already gave up on saving his own children. No, they were not children. No, just because they looked, acted, spoke, felt, and thought like children, they were NOT children. Not his responsibility to fulfill, not his to protect and provide for. But no matter how often he said this, the tiny shades of the vessels kept coming to hunt him in both daylight and the nighttime darkness. They were vessels! Things! Wine sacks to be filled and sealed. Not Persons! Not loyal subjects to the king, meant to give aid and receive help in return. However, the bug could not forget throughout the whole night, day, and the night after the fact it was Father’s Day. And there was no child there who would or could say, “I love you Father.”  
_____________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Is it my headcannon Lurien would be an awesome Dad? Yes.  
>  Is it my headcannon that Lurien can defeat everyone with an unbrella? Yes.  
> Is it my headcannon that Lurien is secretly Sherlock Holmes? Yes.  
> _
> 
> Happy Father's Day!


End file.
